The Philadelphia Eagles have lost a lot from a team that won the Super Bowl last season. While the Eagles retained Zack Baun, they lost three of their four marquee free agents this offseason.
Milton Williams got paid by the New England Patriots while Josh Sweat reunited with Jonathan Gannon after signing with the Arizona Cardinals. Even Mekhi Becton found a bag with the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving Philadelphia’s roster depleted with a month to go before next month’s NFL Draft.
This doesn’t sound like a time to discuss a potential trade. But the Eagles are currently sitting on one of their big free agent signings from last offseason that didn’t pan out and a projected trade suggests it may be time to move on – even if it means sending him to an NFC rival.
Latest Trade Suggest Eagles Should Trade Bryce Huff to Lions
B/R’s Moe Moton listed Eagles edge rusher Bryce Huff as a player who could be included in a “surprise trade” after the first wave of free agency. Huff signed a three-year, $51 million contract with Philadelphia last spring but after a disappointing first season, Moton suggests that the Eagles should send the 26-year-old to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick.
“Philadelphia can command a middle-round pick for an edge rusher who’s in his prime and logged 10 sacks in 2023,” Moton wrote. “...The Lions don’t have a reliable edge rusher other than Aidan Hutchinson. They haven’t re-signed Za’Darius Smith, and 2022 second-rounder Jos Paschal hasn’t panned out. Marcus Davenport re-signed with the team, but he’s played in just six games over the last two years because of injuries. Huff could carve out a starting role opposite Hutchinson on the defensive line in Detroit.”
Huff missed five games due to injuries last season but struggled on the field with 13 tackles including three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Things got so bad that Huff’s playing time decreased as the season went on and he was a healthy scratch for the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Memphis alum has also been surpassed on the depth chart. Nolan Smith Jr. had an excellent sophomore year going from one sack in his rookie year to 6.5 last season and 2024 third-round pick Jalyx Hunt came on late in the year including a sack in the Super Bowl.
With Smith and Hunt ticketed for starting roles, it would be easy for the Eagles to send Huff packing – especially with no guaranteed money remaining on his contract after the 2025 season. But while it feels like addition by subtraction, there has to be a benefit.
Acquiring Huff would work great for the Lions, who would get a young pass-rusher that could be a better fit in Detroit. But the Eagles also would be depriving themselves of depth in case Hunt or Smith were to suffer an injury. There’s also four void years totalling $27.5 million at the end of Huff’s contract, which could be a deterrent for any team looking to acquire him.
Trading Huff looks like a great idea on paper and would give general manager Howie Roseman some extra swings to replace him with a cheaper alternative in the draft. But it just doesn’t feel like it would work out as the Eagles look to defend their title next season.